De Wildt Cheetah Research Center

The De Wildt (pronounced devilt) Cheetah Research Center has been breading and studying cheetahs for over 30 years.  Only 40 kilometers west of Pretoria, the center has been the primary force in trying to save the cheetah from extinction.    The center has been extremely successful almost to the point of putting itself out of business.

"The Cheetah's of De Wildt"by Ann Van Dyk, (Struik Publishers) is a great book that describes what you hear on this exclusive (reservations by appointment only) tour.  The middle picture above shows the rare, striped back King Cheetah.  This is not a separate breed but the result of a hidden gene.

There is no known case of a Cheetah killing an adult human.  At the Reasearch Center, you can actually pet a cheetah and it will likck you hand like any household cat.  However, if you turn and run, you may get attacked.  Children on the other hand (being small creatures) attract the cheetah.  Children under 12, therefore are not allowed to vist the center.

The picture below shows another large cat, very similar to the cheetah.

De Wiltd has several other game include hyena and wild dogs.

... and caracals (very similar to the lynx). along with other animals.

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